Channel stanchion for elevated beam cow stall assembly

Abstract

An elevated-beam cow stall assembly has a plurality of tubular cow stall dividers supported on a single horizontal beam. This provides room for the cow to lunge slightly to assist her in lying down or getting up. In an embodiment, stanchions or brackets are formed of vertical channel members affixed onto the beam. The tubular stall dividers each have an upper and a lower horizontal rail, the ends of which are mounted into the upper and lower ends of the channel member. Short upper and lower channel portions are fastened to the main vertical channel members, web-to-web, and the tubular stall dividers from a facing row of stalls are mounted on these. The brackets or stanchions may be mounted to the beam using square U-bolts, or by other techniques such as welding.

1. Freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly, comprising
 a. at least a pair of vertical posts aligned in respect to a floor of a row of cow stalls; 
 b. a single horizontal beam supported above said floor and extending transversely between said posts; 
 c. a plurality of stall dividers each having an upper generally horizontal rail and a lower rail, and support means being supported off the floor; 
 d. means affixing said horizontal beam to said posts; and 
 e. means for affixing the support means for each stall divider of said plurality of stall dividers onto said horizontal beam, such that each said stall divider of said plurality and said support means are suspended above said floor only upon said single horizontal beam. 
 
     
     
       2. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said beam is supported at least about 34 inches above said floor such that an unobstructed space is provided between said beam and said floor. 
     
     
       3. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 2  wherein said beam is supported between about 34 and 38 inches above said floor. 
     
     
       4. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each of said dividers is a loop-type divider formed of a single tubular rail bent into a loop including said upper and lower rails. 
     
     
       5. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 4  wherein said support means are formed unitarily with said single tubular rail. 
     
     
       6. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 4  wherein a distal portion of said lower rail is bent upwards towards the distal end of said upper rail. 
     
     
       7. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said means affixing the support means to said horizontal beam includes at least one weld affixing the one to the other. 
     
     
       8. Freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly, comprising
 a. at least a pair of vertical posts aligned in respect to a floor of a row of cow stalls; 
 b. a single horizontal beam supported above said floor and extending transversely between said posts; 
 c. a plurality of stall dividers each having an upper generally horizontal rail and a lower rail, and support means supporting distal portions of the upper and lower rails, wherein said support means includes a vertical support stanchion having an upper receiver into which the distal end of said upper rail is attached, a lower receiver into which the distal end of said lower rail is attached, and a web portion that seats against said horizontal beam; 
 d. means affixing said horizontal beam to said posts; and 
 e. means for affixing the support means for each stall divider of said plurality of stall dividers onto said horizontal beam, such that each said stall divider of said plurality and said support means are suspended above said floor only upon said single horizontal beam. 
 
     
     
       9. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 8  wherein said support stanchion includes a channel member formed of said web portion and flanges extending along either side of said web portion at upper and lower ends thereof to define said upper and lower receivers. 
     
     
       10. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 9  wherein said support stanchion includes additional channel portions attached to the web at positions of the upper and lower receivers to define additional receivers for supporting a second cow stall divider. 
     
     
       11. The freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly according to  claim 8  wherein said means for affixing said support means includes a square U-bolt fitted over said horizontal beam, with threaded ends fitting into penetrations in said web, and threaded nuts fitted onto said threaded ends far securing the web on said square U-bolt against a side of said horizontal beam. 
     
     
       12. Freestall elevated beam cow stall assembly, comprising
 a. at least a pair of vertical posts aligned in respect to a floor of a pair of rows of facing cow stalls; 
 b. a single horizontal beam supported above said floor and extending transversely between said posts; 
 c. a plurality of pairs of stall dividers each having an upper generally horizontal rail and a lower rail, and support means in the form of an elongated vertical member suspended off the floor and having upper and lower portions supporting distal portions of the upper and lower rails of each divider of an associated pair of dividers, such that one divider projects into the row on one side of the posts and the associated divider of that pair projects into the row on the other side; 
 d. means affixing said horizontal beam to said posts; and 
 e. means for affixing the support means for each of said stall dividers onto said horizontal beam, such that each pair of stall dividers of said plurality of pairs of stall dividers and said support means are suspended off the floor only upon said single horizontal beam.